Fiber-feeding mechanism.



R.S.GURLEY & L MOSS FIBER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY15.1913

1,122,867. Patented Dec.29,1914.

E rill/11411410 71111,I111 1 111111 1I /11114511 111 Ian/Inn l EEEEE: \V Tnmg HE NORRIS PETERS Ca, PHOTO-I:ITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

TJ'NTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

ROBERT S. CURLEY AND JOSEPH MOSS, 0F NEWTON, MIASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG'NORS TO SACO-LOWELL SHOPS, OF cnnsnrrs.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORTORATION OF MASSA- FIBER-FEEDING MECHANISM.

anson.

Application filed May 15, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ROBERT S. Corner and Josnrn: Moss, both of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massa chusetts, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in FibenFeeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a feeding mechanism especially adapted for use with ma chines known as willows for opening and cleaning cotton or wool or the like, the particular purpose of our invention being to provide rotatable means for feeding a predetermined amount of fiber to the cylinder and also to provide means to allow stones or other bodies which may get mixed with the fiber to fall out therefrom during the passage to the willowing chamber.

Our invention will be understood by reference to the drawing in which one embodiment of it is shown in section.

A. is the cylinder having spikes or teeth a projecting therefrom and inclosed in a perforated casing B having an inlet 3) and an outlet (not shown) for the fiber, all as is customary in this class of machinery. This mechanism being of well known construction is not shown in full.

C is a feed apron or conveyer of usual construction running over pulleys of which one only 0 is shown. Above this apron is mounted a feed roll C which assists in feeding the material. Any other form of feed adapted for the purpose may be used.

D, D are two gate rolls which are located preferably in close proximity to the inlet opening 6 in the casing B so that the fiber is fed from these rolls directly through the inlet 1) into the willowing chamber B between the casing B and the cylinder A. The roll D is a cylinder running the length of the opening 6. The roll D is equally long, but as shown is segmental or mutilated, carrying a wall (Z which connects the ends of the segment and carries a projecting portion (Z which is adapted to close the passage (Z between the two rolls, when the two rolls are in stationary position.

The part (Z is preferably flat and serves as the roll D revolves, to widen and later narrow the passage through which the fiber passes and to detach a portion of the fiber which has been fed from the apron C and feed roll C from that behind it and force Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914. Serial No. 767,764.

it into the willowing chamber B and as it completes its revolution the projecting portion or gate (Z completes the detachment of the fiber and serves to hold back the fiber which is behind it until the willowing of the charge has been completed. F or this purpose the rolls D, D are preferably given an intermittent rotary movement in the di rection of the arrows. The cylinder A is given a continuous rapid rotation and the rolls D, D having been given a single rotation and fed a charge into the chamber B are stopped for a predetermined time depending upon how much dirt the fiber contains, to allow the charge in the charm her to be thoroughly cleaned. ii hon the charge has been cleaned and discharged in the usual way the rolls D, D rotate again to feed another charge.

The lower portion of the passage C from the feed apron C to the rolls D, D is closed by an overweighted valve E which is pivoted on a cross rod o and carries a weight E on the end of the projecting arm a stop 6 limiting the downward movement of the weight E so that it will maintain the valve in substantially the position shown to form a floor for the passage.

Fiber when first opened frequently contains stones or other like heavy matter which might not be able to pass between the rolls D, D and if it reaches the chamber B will contact with the teeth a and tend to break or injure them and in any event cannot pass out through the openings in the casing B. This heavy matter on striking the valve E will overbalance the weight E and will open the valve and fall down between the valve and the roll D after which the valve closes automatically. It is evident to one skilled in the art that such a valve may be differently mounted to accomplish this result and may be differently located or used with other fiber-cleaning mechanisms. So far as we know no means have been provided in mechanism of this general character for allowing the larger and heavier foreign material to free itself from the fiber during the passage of the fiber to a mechanism by which it is to be treated.

We have shown diagrammatically at F mechanism of usual construction for receiving the fiber after it has been cleansed.

The mechanism for applying power to the various parts to cause them to perform their several movements is not shown as it is simple and will be readily supplied by those skilled in the art.

What we claim as our invention is 1. In a device of the kind described, in combination with a casing having an inlet, two rotatable members having a passage between them, one serving as a fioor over which fiber is fed and the other carrying means whereby the amount of fiber fedto the chamber within said casing is controlled.

2. In a device of the kind described, in combination with a casing having an inlet, two positively-operated rolls having a passage between them, one of said rolls having a segment removed therefrom and provided with a wall whereby in the rotation of said last-named roll the width of the passage between the rolls will be varied.

3. In a device of the kind described, in combination with a casing having an inlet, two positively-operated rolls having a passage between them, one of said rolls having a segment removed therefrom and provided with a wall having an extension adapted intermittently to close the passage between said rolls.

4. In a device of the kind described, in combination with a casing having an inlet, two positively-operated rolls having a passage between them, one of said rolls carrying a gate whereby the passage between said rolls may be intermittently closed.

5. In a device of the kind described, a casing having an inlet, two positively-operated rolls having a passage between them, a feed mechanism, and a counterbalanced valve located opposite said passage and forming a guideway from said feed mechanism to said passage adapted to open to release any abnormal body.

6. In a device of the kind described, a casing having an inlet, two positively-operated rolls having a passage between them, a feed mechanism, and a counterbalanced valve, the free end of said valve substantially contacting with one of said rolls when in normal position, and adapted to separate therefrom to form an opening for an abnormal body.

7. In a device of the kind described, a casing having an inlet, two positively-operated rolls having a passage between them, a feed mechanism, and a counterbalanced valve located between said feed and said rolls to guide the fiber to said passage and located normally in approximately vertical position, whereby a slight downward movement of the free end of the valve will open a vertical outlet for any abnormal body.

8. In a device of the kind described, a casing having an inlet, two positively-operated rolls having a passage between them, a

feed mechanism, and a counterbalanced valve, the free end of said valve substantially contacting with one of said rolls when in normal position at a point near its horizontal diameter, and adapted to separate therefrom to form an opening for an ab normal body.

9. In a device of the kind described, in combination with a casing having an inlet, two positively-operated rolls having a passage between them, one roll having an irregular surface and the other roll having a regular surface whereby the width of the passage is periodically varied.

"Witnesses Iavmo D. KIMBALL, BESSIE E. RowELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. (1. 

